over a year and no weight loss

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  • xlvi_ii
    xlvi_ii Posts: 2 Member
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    I've had the exact same issues. Actually, this sounded like my story, always very fit, became ill with a flu-like virus, things were never the same, gained weight, can't get it off, knee pain, etc. JUST LIKE ME. I can tell you that I had extensive testing done on my thyroid function, to find out that I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an auto-immune thyroid condition that causes most of my symptoms. I'm still on my journey to get everything under control, and make sure I'm not missing anything since I'm still somewhat symptomatic, but I would absolutely suggest seeing an endocrinologist. A lot of standard blood work will show your TSH levels (a good indicator of thyroid dysfunction) within a "normal" range, but is really abnormal if you have auto-immune thyroiditis. DO NOT go to a GP for this testing, as I went through two years of hell trying to figure out what is wrong, only to be told that "sometimes we just will never know." Go to an endocrinologist that specializes in thyroid disorders. Good luck!
  • GreenMantle
    GreenMantle Posts: 13 Member
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    While plenty of folks here are right and you might start seeing better results by being more diligent in calorie counting (you can use the MyFitnessPal app for that, the feature is awesome!) it really is sort of concerning that you were sick for so long and that inexplicable weight gain resulted from that. Do track your calories, but I'd recommend (and keep in mind, I am nothing approaching a doctor) seeing an endocrinologist, maybe one who specializes in metabolic disorders. It would be odd for a strange illness to coincide with sudden drastic weight gain.

    Good luck, and keep feeling better!
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
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    I'm going with what everyone else is saying. You are eating more than you think you are.

    Also, be careful with exercising as you could be over-recording that as well. If you under-estimate how much calories are in your food then over-estimate how much you burn from exercise oh boy are you in for a disappointment.
  • enzosmama
    enzosmama Posts: 134 Member
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    I just purchased this scale off amazon and it's under $15. Food scales are not as expensive as one might think- and this one gets great reviews. This and a set of measuring cups plus MFP tracking will be your best tools.

    http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B004164SRA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  • dcristo213
    dcristo213 Posts: 117 Member
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    You don't have to count calories, but you have to figure out what works for you. Our bodies are much more complex than most people think, so calories in and calories out doesn't work for everyone. Last summer, I spent a whole summer working out 5 days a week, and maintaining a calorie deficit of between 500-1000 calories per day. You would think that I should lose 1-2 lbs per week. It did not work. I was barely losing weight, and in fact I started to gain. I was always hungry. I realized, at least for me, that my high carb diet was keeping me from losing weight, even in a calorie deficit (and I tracked my calories every day).

    (From Dr. Peter Attia, The Eating Academy)
    Obesity is a growth disorder just like any other growth disorder. Specifically, obesity is a disorder of excess fat accumulation. Fat accumulation is determined not by the balance of calories consumed and expended but by the effect of specific nutrients on the hormonal regulation of fat metabolism. Obesity is a condition where the body prioritizes the storage of fat rather than the utilization of fat.
  • MissHolidayGolightly
    MissHolidayGolightly Posts: 857 Member
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    Are you still feeling exhausted all the time? If so, A possibility could be chronic fatigue syndrome. Not much is known about it but it can occur after an illness and is linked to weight gain.
  • Chain_Ring
    Chain_Ring Posts: 753 Member
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    TL;DR but dannnnnnnnnng bro.........
  • lizzybathory
    lizzybathory Posts: 229
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    This sounds a lot like me, minus actually being bedridden. When I was in college, I was tired all the time, I put on weight, I thought I was eating well, I thought I was getting exercise, I thought I should be doing just fine. But I was tired all the time and felt awful a lot of the time and lacked motivation to do things, blah blah blah. And I kept getting fatter and fatter. It just didn't make any sense to me.

    I got it into my head that I had a thyroid condition. They run in my family, they affect metabolism, and it'd be a great explanation. I found these people online that insisted that doctors are really stubborn about diagnosing thyroid disorders, and that I'd probably have to see several doctors before one was willing to accept that my levels weren't normal. That's what I did. I saw so many different people, got so many different panels done. All of them congratulated me on my perfect blood work and, aside from being a little overweight, a clean bill of health.

    My pursuit of the perfect doctor who would diagnose me with something that just wasn't showing up on my panels kept me from finally taking responsibility for my own health. Nobody ever did give me a diagnosis, or medication, but I got 100% better anyway, just by finally addressing my own issues.

    I was sure I was eating well, because I wasn't just eating a bunch of chips and soda, but I really wasn't. A more balanced diet helped a lot. I was eating DRASTICALLY more than I estimated, even when I was trying to estimate and keep a food diary. I was so, so off. And I wasn't eating a very balanced diet, which messed with my energy levels, along with having a really irregular sleep and work schedule that threw me off completely.

    Trying different exercises helped a lot. Running a mile and a half is a great first step on the way to running longer distances, but on its own, really doesn't burn that many calories. I know that we all do what we can when we can do it, but if calorie burn is your goal, you're going to need to slowly work your way up to longer runs. I worked my way up to 20 miles a day on my bike, started doing more resistance training, and occasionally going on yoga kicks. I worked my way up to running a 10k.

    It's so tempting to hang onto that mystery diagnosis, that will give you an excuse for why you gained as well as a way out. I get it. But when you've already had a few panels done, it's extreeeeemely unlikely that anyone else will actually unearth anything. For every one-in-a-million miracle diagnosis cases after seeing a dozen other doctors, there are a thousand of me - hypochondriacs looking for an excuse.

    Letting go of that excuse is what allowed me to finally change a ton of habits and slowly but surely solve all of my health problems. I'm not talking about crazy energy cures or supplements or anything weird at all - just a more balanced diet, ACCURATE food tracking, kicking bad habits, working up to longer & more intense exercise, and trying to get good rest.

    Please just keep on honestly pursuing all your options, and attacking this on as many fronts as you can. As long as you keep on focusing on the weird medical diagnosis you're hoping for, it's going to be really easy to not fully commit to other possibilities and truly hold yourself accountable.

    EDIT: Wow, tl; dr, self. :/
  • sarajenivieve
    sarajenivieve Posts: 303 Member
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    What country are you from? if your american i would recommend seeing a dietican, american doctors on average get 19-25 hours of training on nutrition, so basically most of them know little if anything reliable or up to date on nutrition which is vital to health and fitness(i know it seems rediculous but those are the real numbers you can look up) How much dairy are you eating? can you post an example of what you would eat in a week ? not calories just the food
  • vivi1962
    vivi1962 Posts: 8 Member
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    You probably aren't over eating, but it's what your eating. Stick to more veggies, less grains, and lean meat. I try to stick to chicken and fish, but on weekends I treat my self to a nice dinner, whether it be steak, roast beef, or roast pork, etc. We barbecued last week and I had the hamburger but not the bun. Hope this helps.
  • lemonsnowdrop
    lemonsnowdrop Posts: 1,298 Member
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    You probably aren't over eating, but it's what your eating. Stick to more veggies, less grains, and lean meat. I try to stick to chicken and fish, but on weekends I treat my self to a nice dinner, whether it be steak, roast beef, or roast pork, etc. We barbecued last week and I had the hamburger but not the bun. Hope this helps.

    Haha, no. I lost 50 pounds and ate hamburger helper, fast food and plenty of snacks. Of course, I balanced it with healthier options, but don't you ever say that eating 2000 calories of fast food will make you gain more weight than 2000 calories of organic foods. It's not scientifically true and can be confusing to people who tend to fall into the whole "I must eat clean to lose weight" pit.
  • MyMalfunction7
    MyMalfunction7 Posts: 61 Member
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    If you were bedridden, completely inactive, and consuming the same level of food you were while you were active, yes. I went through several periods of my life when I gained that much weight in that period. It's scary, but it's definitely possible.
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
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    nothing to add ...but holy batman where do I find this delicacy?
  • lillietoo
    lillietoo Posts: 4 Member
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    I take medications that make it difficult for me to lose weight so I can appreciate your frustrations. When I really needed answers I went to specialists at a teaching hospital. The "team" seeing me were aware of new research. Perhaps a teaching hospital could help you. Also, often teaching hospitals have weight loss clinics. To have medical assistance and tracking may be useful in finding some solutions.
  • stevenlcopeland
    stevenlcopeland Posts: 57 Member
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    Too many calories and workouts have to be done like you are training for the Olympics. Check out HIIT. Since you have been working out for a year, you should be able to do this and you must go 110 percent during the high intensity portion off this training. Do this, and you won't need to worry about monitoring or weighing your food near as much and the fat will come off. This training is not easy. If it was, everyone would be doing it. But the rewards of this training will stare right back at you in the mirror. Good luck.
  • cuteandfunsized
    cuteandfunsized Posts: 1,187 Member
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    I thought for a second I was reading my own story! I went to the gym religiously for a year. I never was a big eater,my biggest problem was not eating. I was always fit before as well. I had my tubes tied in 2010 and within 3 months I had gained 45 pounds! Nothing had changed,not my diet nor lack of exercise. The doctor,just like yours,said I was depressed possibly due to not being able to have anymore children,I said I was happy I couldn't have any! He put me on Wellbutrin,I took for 3 months and threw them away. It took me 3 years to finally find a doctor to tell me I may have sleep apnea. Did the study and I did! The lack of sleep I wasn't getting was a major contribution to my weight gain. I started going to the gym and after 10 months and not 1 single pound was budged I gave up hope. I told my doctor and she ran a panel of blood tests and it came back borderline hypothyroidism. She put me on medication and still nothing. My eating habits were horrible though. I'm never hungry so sometimes I actually forget to eat. She said this was horrible for my body and to try and force myself something,even just a banana or piece of toast in the morning because that's what your body feeds off of all day. She then put me on phentermine which helped with my fatigue as well. I lost 40 pounds in 6 months and now I'm stuck again. My body built up a tolerance to the phentermine. So that's why I'm here,hoping to find someone having the same issues as me that can help. The point of all of this is have you been diagnosed with sleep apnea? If not,you may want to get checked for it. I couldn't wear the mask but a lot of people I know have had great success with it. Who knew sleep deprivation could lead to weight gain? Good luck!
  • Daphnerose86
    Daphnerose86 Posts: 77 Member
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    Take this advice with a grain of salt because it's kind of personally driven. I read this thing once about how any type of big fluctuation in weight for seemingly no reason might be cancer. Having had a friend of mine gain weight drastically over a year for no reason and she too didn't eat her way to that weight. She ended up having cancer the whole time. Stage 3 ovarian cancer. Really her only symptoms were weight gain, fatigue and shortness of breath. Why I even say this isn't really the weight gain as much as what you said about when you run you only get about five minutes in before you run out of breath. Regardless of your weight the more you exercise the easier that exercise becomes. Your body should be getting stronger even if you are not losing weight. (I ran 5ks at 220 no problem) If it seems like you aren't getting stronger it might be an underlying issue.

    And it might not be cancer. Having been on bed rest for three months is a huuuuge deal and blow to your life style and health. It seems like your body thought the same thing when it gained all that weight. It may have shocked your system. Have you ever had your thyroid checked? Symptoms include weight gain, feeling tired, weak and cold. It might not be that either but I think you should go to your doctor. The fact that they were uninterested in your weight gain seems crazy to me since it was so drastic. It should have been addressed because it's not a healthy weight gain. To gain that much weight you would have had to eat at least an extra 2500 calories a day. If you know that couldn't have been the case there is probably an underlying problem.

    You may even be allergic to something in the food, like a preservative or dye. They can test you for allergens.

    And yes it could definitely also be that you are eating more than you think you are and not being completely honest with yourself. I'd go talk with a doctor about it and if they give you a clean bill of health I'd sit down and really analyze your food choices. Are you eating more than you think? Are you under your calorie limit but over your sodium, carbs or sugar limits? Are you remembering to log what you drink as well? Are you eating heavily processed foods? Every body is different so just keep an open mind to making some adjustments here and there. It might be something really small and the weight will begin to fall off. Whatever you do don't give up! You will get there! Best of luck!
  • pigelet
    pigelet Posts: 37 Member
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    Hey.

    Per gaining 70lbs in the span of a few months that isn't normal but since we don't have a list of what you were eating dirng that time, we can't speculate.

    I would go with accurately logging all your food for a month and then see what results.
    Also, send OP a message.

    Cheers,

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